[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by kushalshah

Hi Guys,

Need some help with my itinerary and feasibility. I will be doing a road trip from Delhi to Himachal and back in a self drive rental. Following is my itinerary starting Jan 28.


Day 1: Reach Delhi. Drive To Amritsar
Day 2: Amritsar
Day 3: Amritsar to Dalhousie
Day 4: Dalhousie and around (Khajjar)
day 5: Dalhousie to Dharamsha
Day 6,7: Dharamshala and around
Day 8: Dharamshala to Manali
Day 9, 10, 11: Manali and around
Day 12: Manali to Delhi
Day 13: Delhi Agra
Day 14: Delhi
Day 15: To Mumbai

I am looking for suggestions for each sectors for road. I will be taking either Duster or Ecosport as a self drive rental from Delhi for the trip from Revv mostly. Open to suggestions on car and provider both.

Considering I will be driving during fag end of the winter, I would like some estimations on weather, snow, road blocks etc basis experience. Also what is the difficulty level of drive in Himachal sectors.

As far as my experience, Couple of Mumbai rajasthan long trips under my belt but thats more of a highway drive.

Thanks in advance.

Why dont you turn the itinerary the other way round,it would help with shorter driving distances and times and driving the hills is a time consuming affair.We did a similar trip some years back.Details are at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...lhi-hyd-3.html

My suggestion would be:

Delhi-Shimla : 2nights
Shimla-Manali:3Nights
Manali-Dalhousie:2nights
Dalhousie-Dharamshala:1night
Dharamshala-Amritsar:1night
Amritsar-Delhi:1Night
Delhi-Agra:1night

Agra-Delhi and night flight back to Mumbai.

This way at no point do you drive more than 7-8 hours in a day (longest being on first and last days (Del-Shimla and Amritsar-Delhi).

[procrj]

Planning a Spiti trip in April/May and had a few questions:

1. April/May a good time to visit Kinnaur/Spiti region? Does it get crowded because of vacations?
2. Self drive vs Car rental - I understand that some stretches are very bad and some are bliss. Would it make sense to rent a duster/scorpio 2WD from Chandigarh and drive all the way to Kibber - Manali & back?
3. Accommodation - Can frequent visitors share average cost per night for accommodation in a home stay/hotel for a family of 2 adults + 1 kid? Also any recommendations on where to stay is more than welcome
4. Food - Will it be hard to find pure veg food? Maggi the only life saver?

Tentative plan:
Day 1: Chandigarh - Rampur
Day 2: Rampur - Chitkul
Day 3: Chitkul
Day 4: Chitkul - Nako
Day 5: Nako - Kibber
Day 6: Kibber
Day 7: Kibber - Manali
Day 8: Manali - Chandigarh

Tempted to include Pin valley into the itinerary but I think that might just stretch things a little too much. I should be able to manage about 10-11 days off from work and hence that might leave me with 9 days to cover Kinnaur/Spiti as 2 days in all probability will be blocked for air travel. If there is a better way to utilize this time and still cover Pin valley, please do suggest.

Also looking for recommendations on trusted car rentals (not self drive) who I can talk to and get a sense of costs.

[Akib Khan]

Originally Posted by kushalshah

Hi Guys,

Need some help with my itinerary and feasibility. I will be doing a road trip from Delhi to Himachal and back in a self drive rental. Following is my itinerary starting Jan 28.


Day 1: Reach Delhi. Drive To Amritsar
Day 2: Amritsar
Day 3: Amritsar to Dalhousie
Day 4: Dalhousie and around (Khajjar)
day 5: Dalhousie to Dharamsha
Day 6,7: Dharamshala and around
Day 8: Dharamshala to Manali
Day 9, 10, 11: Manali and around
Day 12: Manali to Delhi
Day 13: Delhi Agra
Day 14: Delhi
Day 15: To Mumbai

Thanks in advance.

Hi. I just returned from a 8 day trip to manali and dharamshala. The climate is fantastic in manali but I would advice you to carry your rain coats. We took the flight from Mumbai to Chandigarh and booked a taxi for the whole trip. The roads from Chandigarh to manali are superb with good spots to click photos. We stayed in manali for 4 days and thoroughly enjoyed the pleasant climate. Since it's an off season you will get hotels at a very cheap rate. I would recommend Make my Trip ( I am not having any personal or financial interest in this App). The roads from Manali to Dharamshala is very narrow and dangerous with cars coming down the hill at dangerous speed so try to cover that route before evening. Khajjar route is closed due to bad weather so please try to check and collect as much information before u set for the trip. Pm me if u have any more queries.

[hillsnrains]

Hello Bhpian's,

I need your help again. We(me, spouse and 6 years son) are ready for Delhi-Dharmashala-Manali trip during April mid, 2017. Here is the brief plan

Day-1: Fly from Bangalore to Delhi and stay at friends house for the day

Day-2: Delhi-Chandigargh (Jan Shatabdi train) and take a zoom car(already booked) from Chandigarh railway station and reach Dharmashala by evening. (stay @HPTDC Dhauladhar, Dharmashala)

Day-3: Drive around McLeod Ganj and Kangra valley (stay @HPTDC Dhauladhar, Dharmashala)

Day-4: Checkout and reach Manali by evening (Stay @ Hadimba cottages, Manali)

Day-5: Visit to Rohtang pass and return(Stay @ Hadimba cottages, Manali)

Day-6: Local Site seeing and reach Kullu by evening (Stay @Hotel Shobla International, Kullu)

Day-7: Checkout and reach Chandigarh by 6PM and catch Jan Shatabdi to Delhi

Day-8: Spend time with friends and take evening flight to Bangalore

All the Hotel, Train booking are done. We are looking for inputs on site seeing and food options (specifically for days 3-6). We are primarily looking for a leisure holiday and not to rush.

Thanks in advance for the inputs

[sdp1975]

I'm visiting Himachal from Bangalore in April . I will be arriving at Chandigarh by train and will hire a taxi from there. Please review my itinerary and make any suggestions you may have :

13th : Arrival at Chandigarh in the evening.
14th : Chandigarh - Amritsar ( 230 km )
15th : Amritsar - Dalhousie ( 200 )
16th : Dalhousie - Kalatop - Khajjiar - Chamera - Dharamshala ( 185 )
17th - Dharamshala - McLeodganj - Manali ( 250 )
18th - Manali - Solang valley - Narkand ( 230 )
19th - Narkand - Hatu peak - Kufri - Shimla( 80 )
20th - Shimla - Chandigarh ( 120 )
21st - Train to Bangalore

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

I'm visiting Himachal from Bangalore in April . I will be arriving at Chandigarh by train and will hire a taxi from there. Please review my itinerary and make any suggestions you may have :

13th : Arrival at Chandigarh in the evening.
14th : Chandigarh - Amritsar ( 230 km )
15th : Amritsar - Dalhousie ( 200 )
16th : Dalhousie - Kalatop - Khajjiar - Chamera - Dharamshala ( 185 )
17th - Dharamshala - McLeodganj Manali ( 250 )
18th - Manali - Solang valley - Narkand ( 230 )
19th - Narkand - Hatu peak - Kufri - Shimla( 80 )
20th - Shimla - Chandigarh ( 120 )
21st - Train to Bangalore

This schedule is doable but it's going to be a very hectic trip. Even before getting the feel of the place, you would have moved to the next location. I will add 2-3 days more and make it a little relaxed trip.

Some changes that you can consider to this current schedule are,

15th - Start early from Amristar, cover Dalhousie, Kalatop and stay in Khajjiar.

16th - Stay in McLeodganj or Upper Dharamshala.

17th - Be at Solang valley by 8-9am, later it gets very crowded.

You can check my travelogue as well, we covered the same locations last year.

[abhikb]

Daily average traveling of 200 kms in mountains will be hectic and it will wear you out. Especially if you are traveling with aged people or childrens. Better to spare 2-3 days extra.
However if your arrival and departure dates are fixed then skip Narkand and hatu peak. Extend your stay in Manali for 1 more day & then you can drive to Shimla with stay in Kufri.

[Wanderers]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

I Please review my itinerary and make any suggestions you may have :

13th : Arrival at Chandigarh in the evening.
14th : Chandigarh - Amritsar ( 230 km )
15th : Amritsar - Dalhousie ( 200 )
16th : Dalhousie - Kalatop - Khajjiar - Chamera - Dharamshala ( 185 )
17th - Dharamshala - McLeodganj - Manali ( 250 )
18th - Manali - Solang valley - Narkand ( 230 )
19th - Narkand - Hatu peak - Kufri - Shimla( 80 )
20th - Shimla - Chandigarh ( 120 )
21st - Train to Bangalore

I would suggest the reverse. Please consider landing in Shimla and departure from Chandigarh. You would be travelling difficult ones first followed by relatively better drive later. Also as suggested by fellow Bhpians, please includes rest day or local sight seeing days.

[Bluebird_7]

Hi,

I plan to do spiti circuit, Shimla-Kaza-Manali in end May-early June. Any information on reopening of road closures post winters specially Kaza-Gramphu-Rohtang Pass-Manali ?

[abhikb]

Manali to Kaza stretch is expected to get open early this year by 15th May. Enquire with the hotel owners in Kaza they will be able to provide the exact update. Rohtang Pass has been already declared open on Keylong side and bro is working to make manali-Kaza route accessible.

[sdp1975]

Planning on a Himachal trip during the Dasara vacations in the week of Oct 15-19. Will be flying to Delhi and taking a self drive or a taxi.

How is the tourist rush during this time ? Is the weather pleasant or cold ?

[A M]

There will be heavy tourist rush if plan on visiting Manali/Kullu due to the very famous Kullu Dussehra celebrations.
Weather in October should be pleasant. Should hover around 15-20 degrees during the day. Nights will be colder with mercury in single digits.

[abhikb]

You will find heavy tourist rush especially in Manali/Kullu or Shimla side. Weather will not be an issue during October.
You can opt to visit and stay at places out of Manali and Shimla city which will be less crowded.

[wanderernomad]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

Planning on a Himachal trip during the Dasara vacations in the week of Oct 15-19. Will be flying to Delhi and taking a self drive or a taxi.

How is the tourist rush during this time ? Is the weather pleasant or cold ?

These days there is a rush everywhere. What I suggest is take this opportunity to visit the off beat destinations but ofcourse that will depend upon your and fellow travellers expectations from the visit. If you want serene peace and quiet, let me know and a few options can be recommended.

[sdp1975]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

These days there is a rush everywhere. What I suggest is take this opportunity to visit the off beat destinations but ofcourse that will depend upon your and fellow travellers expectations from the visit. If you want serene peace and quiet, let me know and a few options can be recommended.

I was expecting the rush up north to be less as I believe the school holidays are only for a day , whereas down south the Dasara holidays last a full week.

I'm planning to spend some quality time with my wife and kids in some serene places with about 7 days in hand. Any recommendations will be appreciated.